Di Ming

Chapter 457 "I am Gu Xiancheng, greetings to General Qi!"

On October 30, Zhu Yin led his army away from Sichuan.

Before leaving, Zhu Yin established fixed official positions for military commanders and announced a new system of nobility. He appointed Xiong Tingbi as the military commander of Sichuan, in command of the Sichuan garrisons and troops. Liu Chengsi, the general of Sichuan, and Gao Zhezhi, the commander-in-chief, were both under Xiong Tingbi's control.

At the same time, for his meritorious service in pacifying western Sichuan, Xiong Tingbi was granted the title of Baron of Wisdom and Bravery on behalf of the emperor. Xiong Tingbi thus became the first person in more than two hundred years of the Ming Dynasty to be granted the title of baron.

After being abolished, Zhu Yin took over the Yongning Tusi territory, which was then incorporated into the imperial court's lands, and granted Xiong Tingbi a fief of five li. From then on, this five li of land was Xiong Tingbi's baronial fief, with the right to use it belonging to the Xiong family for generations, but the ownership remained with the imperial court.

In reality, it was a nominal fiefdom. It's just that the ownership of the fiefdom nominally belonged to the imperial court. However, because the ownership of the fiefdom legally belonged to the imperial court, the Xiong family could only use it for generations and could not sell, transfer, or expand the fiefdom unless their rank was promoted.

In the Ming Dynasty, a territory of five li (approximately 2.5 kilometers) was equivalent to seven square kilometers in later times—smaller than a village. This was the standard for the fiefdoms set by Zhu Yin for barons. This standard was much smaller than the fiefdoms of barons in the Zhou Dynasty.

Zhu Yin's decision to establish Han Chinese nobles in the traditional Tusi territories was undoubtedly a well-thought-out strategy, far more than simply a means to boost morale and reward meritorious officials. This move aimed to divide and weaken the local Yi tribes, promoting Sinicization. It also facilitated the future implementation of a complete overhaul of the Tusi system.

The history of the development of China's territory is essentially a history of Sinicization. The southwest region was also an agricultural area, and only through a high degree of Sinicization could customs be changed, the backward tribal serf system be reformed, and productivity be improved.

To strengthen Xiong Tingbi's military forces and support the Prince of Shu in inspecting the population in Sichuan, Zhu Yin allocated another 3,000 Jinghai soldiers to be stationed in Chengdu and guard the Shu region.

With Xiong Tingbi's 10,000 troops and 3,000 Jinghai soldiers, Zhu Yin was finally able to leave Shu with peace of mind.

Accompanying Zhu Yin on his eastward return were 20,000 Ming troops and 700 Zong troops. Zhu Yin himself assumed the position of Zong army commander, directly controlling the Zong army's military power.

When the royal army returned in triumph, they escorted the two rebel leaders, She Chongming and An Bangyan, to prison in prison carts. They were paraded through the streets, suffering terribly, feeling like they were living a life worse than death, yet somehow they couldn't die.

Ning Qingchen also recruited more than a hundred promising medical talents in Sichuan and brought them back to Beijing with him.

Thirty thousand Guoluo prisoners of war were also brought back to Nanjing. Zhu Yin was not at ease leaving so many unruly Guoluo rebel prisoners of war in Chengdu.

He brought back 30,000 prisoners of war, with another purpose: to transport them by ship to Burma and use them as the vanguard in the invasion of Burma, as cannon fodder!

Those prisoners who died in battle were considered to have atoned for their rebellion. Those who survived after achieving meritorious service were formally incorporated into the Ming army to fight for the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yin did not have the good habit of treating prisoners of war well.

Princess Shuning also accompanied Zhu Yin on his return journey east.

……

Yangzhou.

Guazhou Ferry, separated from Zhenjiang by a river, boasts a ten-mile-long stretch of riverside fortresses, with banners fluttering like a forest, shouts of men and neighing of horses, and an imposing and powerful atmosphere that could change the very color of the sky.

It was as if even the rolling river and the mighty autumn wind became insignificant under the presence of the Northern Dynasty army that covered the riverbanks.

This is the so-called 200,000-strong Northern Dynasty army that marched south!
In reality, there were far fewer than 200,000 soldiers. The actual number of armored Ming troops was only 80,000, and these were troops drawn from various regions, including the nine border areas, the capital region, and northern provinces.

However, in addition to the 80,000 Ming soldiers, there were also more than 40,000 Japanese prisoners of war incorporated into auxiliary troops. These 40,000 Japanese pirate prisoners of war were incorporated into the Ming army, and all military officers above the rank of banner commander were Ming soldiers.

Then, they were organized into nine independent battalions, each with five thousand men, and then the battalions were further divided into the left, center, and right armies.

General Qi Jiguang, the commander-in-chief who quelled the rebellion, used this method to both utilize the Japanese pirates as resources and maintain firm control over them, making it impossible for the rearmed pirates to resist.

If we include the more than 40,000 Japanese pirate prisoners of war, the Ming army that marched south had 125,000 soldiers. Add to that tens of thousands of laborers and boatmen, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the army numbered 200,000; it does sound quite frightening.

The Northern Dynasty army has been in Yangzhou for more than a month, but it has not crossed the river immediately due to a lack of boats. However, it is like a sharp sword hanging over the Southern Dynasty, pressing down on the Southern Dynasty across the Yangtze River and making it hard for the Southern Dynasty to breathe.

Many people in Jiangnan were terrified by the massive Northern Dynasty army that had reached the Yangtze River. In particular, those officials in the Nanjing court who were secretly plotting to eliminate Zhu Yin and harbored disloyal intentions were even more determined to "purge the emperor's inner circle and remove Zhu Yin" in the face of this powerful Northern Dynasty army.

A person's name is like a tree's shadow. When Qi Jiguang arrived in Yangzhou, many who opposed Zhu Yin seemed to have found a powerful backer.

The famous general Qi Jiguang and his 200,000-strong army were their source of confidence!
At this very moment, inside the central command tent of the Northern Army camp at Guazhou Ferry, General Qi Jiguang, the commander-in-chief of the anti-rebel army, sat in the center, his desk piled high with command arrows, troop registers, and grain registers.

The veteran is 68 years old, but he still looks very strong. He is as majestic as an old tiger, and his aura is so imposing that people dare not look him in the eye.

The generals, fully armored and in full helmets, sat in two rows on one side, with the supervising eunuch Yin Yuanlu sitting on the left.

Yin Yuanlu was originally the fourth-ranking eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial, a powerful and influential figure. He was a close associate of Consort Zheng and was sent to serve as a military supervisor, naturally to check and balance Qi Jiguang.

The reason for today's military meeting is to discuss the crossing of the river. Preparations for crossing the river are almost complete; the boats and pontoon bridges are nearly ready, and a large-scale crossing can be carried out within ten days.

Although the rebels had large warships on the Yangtze River, their navy was not large enough to stop their hundreds of thousands of troops from crossing.

“General,” Yin Yuanlu, dressed in a magnificent python robe, said with an arrogant expression, “I still believe that the army should set the main crossing point at Siyuangou! The river there is only eight li wide, the narrowest point! It is also closer to Nanjing. But I really don’t understand why the General insists on crossing the river at Guazhou.”

A smile appeared on Qi Jiguang's stern, stone-carved face. His cold, lightning-like eyes glanced at the chief eunuch. "Eunuch Yin only knows that the Siyuan Canal is narrow, but he doesn't know that there is no flat land or city on the other side of the Siyuan Canal. After our army crosses the river, even 20,000 cavalrymen will have difficulty landing, let alone having a city to garrison."

“Guazhou is different. With the wind and water speed in November, the army can cross the river from Guazhou and go directly to Zhenjiang. Our army can take Zhenjiang first, and then use Zhenjiang as a base to march west to Nanjing. The army will definitely reach the walls of Nanjing in two days.”

"Although it's two days slower, it's much safer! Don't forget, Eunuch Yin, our army has nearly 200,000 soldiers and laborers, tens of thousands of warhorses, tens of thousands of mules, and hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain. Now the entire south has submitted to the rebels. Once the army crosses the river, we'll be fighting in enemy territory. If we don't have a large city to garrison, can we manage? It's easy for the rebels to take advantage of us."

General Ma Gui echoed, "The General is right. Eunuch Yin, our army is too large, and the southern provinces have all rebelled. After crossing the river, we should first occupy a city as the rear base for the army, and then we can deploy troops at our leisure. Zhenjiang City is very suitable! It is safest for the General to cross the river at Guazhou."

Generals such as Liu Ting and Li Rubai echoed Qi Jiguang's opinion, saying that crossing the river at Guazhou was the most appropriate option.

Yin Yuanlu's face immediately turned ugly, but he could not oppose the opinions of the masses, nor did he dare to continue to contradict Qi Jiguang, who had a very high prestige in the army. He could only let out a barely audible snort.

In reality, he didn't actually want to cross the river at Guazhou; he was just opposing for the sake of opposing, to highlight his position as military supervisor.

It is also a kind of temptation.

As it turned out, his role as military supervisor was far less influential in the army than Qi Jiguang's. All the generals followed Qi Jiguang's lead. Was this a good thing?
of course not.

Yin Yuanlu immediately decided that it was time to impeach Qi Jiguang for his arrogance. Tonight, he would write a secret memorial to the Empress, detailing how Qi had manipulated public opinion, won over generals, and bought the hearts of the army.

Qi Jiguang glanced at Yin Yuanlu indifferently, his mind clear. He was too lazy to waste words with this selfish, greedy, and insatiable supervising eunuch, and directly gave the order:

"Scouts report that Zhu Yin has arrived in Yuezhou, only ten days away from Nanjing. Our army must cross the river and capture Zhenjiang before Zhu Yin returns to Nanjing! We must cross the river by the end of November, without fail!"

"Yes, sir!" The generals stood up and responded in a thunderous voice.

Qi Jiguang waved his hand and said, "All generals, expedite the construction of ships and pontoon bridges and complete them as soon as possible! Anyone who fails to complete them on time will be executed!"

...

After the meeting, Li Rubai, the Shandong General, returned to his tent dejectedly, sighing deeply.

He opened his luggage and saw the exquisitely crafted leather shoes, his expression filled with admiration.

"General, why did you sigh so much after returning to camp?" the aide couldn't help but ask.

Li Rubai sighed, "These words are not only true to me, but also to you. Alas, I truly do not wish to participate in the Southern Expedition."

The advisor understood. "Is the general unwilling to fight Zhu Zhihu because of old friendship?"

Li Rubai nodded, touching the pair of worn-out leather shoes. "These shoes were a gift from Zhu Zhihu ten years ago; they're one of a kind. It's been ten years since we met."

"Over the years, I have followed him to quell rebellions in the Northwest and fight against Japanese pirates in Goryeo, and I have made considerable contributions. He has also treated me very well, and we have a deep friendship. But who would have thought that we would be facing each other as soldiers today? How can this not make one feel extremely emotional? Truly, the world is unpredictable."

"When I first met him, I knew he was extraordinary. But I never imagined he was a descendant of the Jianwen Emperor!"

The advisor thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Since the general is unwilling to be enemies with Zhu Yin, and he is a descendant of Jianwen, why doesn't the general surrender to the Southern Dynasty and serve Zhu Yin? In this way, he can also earn a title!"

"Easier said than done!" Li Rubai shook his head. "With Qi Jiguang around, even if I wanted to surrender to the Southern Dynasty, I wouldn't have the chance!" "Besides, if I really surrendered, even if the court didn't punish my father and brother, they would surely punish my wife and children. My wife and children are all in the Shandong General's Office, how can I implicate them?"

He looked bitter. “The court sent us to quell Zhu Yin because they believed we knew him best. As the saying goes, ‘Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.’ But the court doesn’t know that we don’t want to fight Zhu Yin to the death.”

"But given the current situation, we have no choice but to fight. The Southern and Northern dynasties must eventually settle their score."

...

Leaving aside Li Rubai's sighs and lamentations, the supervising eunuch Yin Yuanlu, upon returning to his tent, began drafting a secret memorial accusing Qi Jiguang of treachery:
"...Your Majesty, this servant Yin Yuanlu reports...Qi Jiguang is tyrannical and domineering, currying favor with the army, arrogant about his achievements, and abusing his seniority. He treats the supervising officer as nothing and the generals like servants..."

"...The Qi family holds military power and wields the imperial tally, yet their true intentions are unfathomable... Judging from their character, this servant suspects them to be treacherous and cunning, perhaps lacking the sincerity of a loyal minister, and may even harbor disloyal intentions... I dare not presume to know their true nature..."

After fabricating and exaggerating the accusations, he immediately dispatched his trusted confidants to send them out in the dead of night, even going so far as to use the Yangzhou Prefecture's 600-li express courier service.

If you didn't know better, you'd think it was some kind of urgent military situation.

...

Not long after Yin Yuanlu sent out the secret report, a servant of the Qi family rode up to the commander's tent under the moonlight and went straight to Qi Jiguang.

"General, this is Yin Yuanlu's secret report."

The servants presented the secret report, which they had seized overnight, to Qi Jiguang.

Under the flickering lamplight, Qi Jiguang opened the secret instrument. His chiseled face appeared even more stern in the lamplight, and his eyes held a chilling frost.

"A path to death." After reading Yin Yuanlu's secret memorial, Qi Jiguang uttered four words indifferently, placed the memorial on the flame, and it instantly turned to ashes.

At this moment, Yin Yuanlu could never have imagined that his secret memorial would never reach Beijing.

Qi Jiguang and Huya had long since taken control of the post station system, making it difficult for reports from Yin Yuanlu and others to be sent out.

Although Qi Jiguang had maintained correspondence with Zhu Yin and had long decided to pledge allegiance to the Southern Dynasty, he still felt sorrow for the current state of the Northern Dynasty after reading Yin Yuanlu's secret memorial.

What hope can there be for a court that relies on eunuchs to monitor generals and spread rumors and slander? Even if one doesn't rebel in the first place, one will be forced to rebel by such scoundrels.

Suddenly, a lamplight flickered in the tent, and amidst a clanging sound, a tall, imposing general who resembled Qi Jiguang entered the tent first, followed by two younger generals.

"Father!"

"Uncle, Commander!"

The three bowed together. These three were Qi Zuoguo, Qi Changguo, and Qi Jin.

“Father, everything is ready,” Qi Zuoguo said. “Mother and Baoguo arrived in Jiangnan early this morning. The wives, children and parents of the main generals in the army have also been secretly brought to Jiangnan. I must say, those men under Zhihu are really capable. They handled this matter so well.”

Qi Jiguang breathed a sigh of relief, "This matter can't be kept secret for long. But by the time the court hears the news, it will be too late."

The old man's eyes showed some sorrow as he spoke.

“Our Qi family has enjoyed the Ming dynasty’s bounty for generations and has long been blessed with the emperor’s favor. I truly do not wish to betray the emperor, but he has been too disappointing. With such a muddle-headed and negligent emperor, the Ming dynasty is in grave danger. If the emperor had even a sliver of the will to govern well, why would I, nearing seventy, risk ruining my reputation as a traitorous official!”

When Qi Jiguang spoke of this, he couldn't help but sigh with regret, his expression desolate.

"Father, the arrow is on the bowstring, and we must release it," Qi Changguo reminded him, fearing that his father might change his mind again due to blind loyalty.

He took out a letter from his bosom. "This is a letter from my stepmother, delivered by Zhihu's men. Please take a look, Father."

Qi Jiguang opened it and several lines of incredibly familiar handwriting immediately caught his eye; it was none other than his wife, Wang's, own handwriting:

"Qi Yuanjing, you are a man who should have been ennobled long ago, but now, you are nearly seventy years old, with countless military achievements, yet you are not even a count. Aren't you ashamed?"

“I’m not a snob, nor do I wish for you to be granted a title so that you and your husband can enjoy wealth and honor. I’m just indignant, I’m just not convinced. Why does the emperor treat you so harshly, using you when he wants and then dismissing you when he doesn’t? Are you a human being or a dog?”

"Look at what that emperor has done all these years! He's a complete tyrant! How could the Ming Dynasty possibly prosper under his rule? If you continue to serve and risk your life for such a master, you deserve a bad end! I'll despise you my whole life! I won't be buried with you, you foolishly loyal man, even after I die. We'll stay together in life and be separated in death, each buried separately!"

“Zhihu is a good boy, a figure praised by the common people. If you don’t help him, who will you help? I heard he is a descendant of Jianwen and also a descendant of Taizu. If you help him, you are still being loyal to the Ming Dynasty.”

That's all I have to say. Nanjing awaits you.

After reading his wife's letter, Qi Jiguang smiled bitterly and said, "You all actually thought I would change my mind? You even had your mother write a letter! What a waste of time."

He gently placed the letter on the table. "Do you think I'm afraid of her? I made my decision long ago, how could I go back on my word?"

The old general said arrogantly, "I have my own ideas about how to do things, how dare she interfere? In my whole life, I have been the sole decision-maker in my family, when have I ever listened to her? This is my own decision, she doesn't need to worry about it! Humph!"

Hearing the old general's words and seeing his unashamed demeanor, the three nephews felt a little embarrassed.

The old man himself isn't embarrassed; it's the three of them who are embarrassed.

Qi Jiguang continued, "I made a promise with Zhihu long ago, how could I go back on my word? A true man keeps his word, and he will do what he is supposed to do! Privately, he is my adopted son. Publicly, he is a descendant of Jianwen and cares deeply about the Ming Dynasty and its people. If I don't help him, who else can I help?"

He pointed bluntly to the north, "Are we still going to stubbornly help Beijing? The Ming Dynasty cannot be allowed to be ruined by them any longer!"

At this point, he suddenly smiled, "Zhihu is truly remarkable, not giving me any trouble at all. He has so quickly eliminated the two great scourges, She Chongming and An Bangyan. From now on, things in the southwest will be much easier. I estimate that he will soon be heading south to Burma."

Qi Jiguang made some arrangements, and then a personal guard entered the tent to report: "General, a man has come from Nanjing, saying that he wants to see you to discuss important matters. This is his visiting card."

Qi Jiguang took the visiting card and read that it read, "To Gu Xiancheng, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and a secretary in the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing, under the command of General Qi, Grand Protector and Left Commander-in-Chief, appointed by Imperial Decree, who respectfully bows after a night of purification."

Gu Xiancheng? Qi Jiguang's gaze turned slightly cold.

"Let him in," Qi Jiguang said. "I want to see what this Mr. Gu, who came across the river in the dead of night, has to say!"

The guards received the order and went out, soon returning with a middle-aged scholar dressed in a Taoist robe into the main tent.

The middle-aged scholar had a refined and elegant demeanor, with clear and bright features. He entered the main tent at a leisurely pace, and calmly bowed, saying, "I am Gu Xiancheng, and I greet General Qi!"

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant; he referred to himself as "this humble one," not "this junior," much less "this lowly official."

In the grand tent of this renowned general commanding an army of 100,000, he strolled around as if it were his own private quarters.

This shows that civil officials remain as proud as ever in front of military generals, even though he was only a fifth-rank official while Qi Jiguang was a first-rank official.

"Please sit down, Mr. Gu." Qi Jiguang was quite cultured. "Someone, bring Mr. Gu some tea. The military quarters are simple, so we only have coarse tea. Please don't mind."

Mr. Gu smiled calmly and said, "General, you are too kind. I am sorry to bother you by crossing the river at night, but your words are more valuable than any storm."

Qi Jiguang stroked his beard and said, "I wonder what brings you here, sir? What can you teach me?"

Gu Xiancheng said calmly, "I am not representing myself, but the hearts of the people of Jiangnan! This is for the sake of the nation! This matter concerns the fate of the Ming Dynasty and the well-being of all people. I have disregarded my own life and death in coming here."

"General, the people of Jiangnan yearn for the imperial army as they yearn for rain after a long drought!"

...

P.S.: I'm too busy today, that's all for now. Please support me, thank you.

(End of this chapter)